I think we elected Alvin Greene as Mayor of Waukesha

Early in the meeting, Scrima was asked directly by Ald. Kathleen Cummings if he intended to present amendments.

“No. I’m setting the vision. I’m setting the goal,” he said in asking for a no-increase levy.

Later in the meeting, after Pieper’s cuts were reviewed, Scrima proposed two amendments regarding furloughs or layoffs and cuts to mass transit. It took nearly 15 minutes of prodding by both the assistant city attorney and several aldermen, plus a recess, to persuade Scrima to temporarily give up the gavel so he could follow council rules in presenting his amendments from the floor.

Cummings and Ald. Paul Furrer said they’d rather have the ideas vetted ahead of time rather than at a prolonged budget-night meeting. Cummings reminded all of the council’s notorious 4:27 a.m. vote after a nine-hour meeting to adopt the 2008 budget.

By late Wednesday, Scrima’s two amendments had grown to six.

In an interview Thursday, Scrima said he didn’t come forward with proposals sooner because “my role is to listen first.” He drew them up, incorporating his own and a few other ideas mentioned Tuesday night, because “I believe we needed more formal solutions on the table.”

Again, Scrima is not new to the job. Forget for a moment how stupid it is to watch him come in now with a bunch of proposed amendments rather than much earlier in the process. HOW MUCH OF AN IDIOT IS HE WHEN HE’S BEEN TOLD TIME AND AGAIN WHEN HE HAS TO YIELD THE GAVEL? Is he just naturally that stupid? Or does he work on it?

Let’s return to his budget cutting. I’m glad the mayor wants to cut the budget. I really am. That $2 on my tax bill is so completely worth tipping the city upside down and ruining his relationship with the aldermen permanently. And the crap about “setting the vision,” I love it. I really do. It’s almost enough to make you forget he’s the mayor of a city of 65,000 people.

There is one spending cut that hasn’t been proposed yet. We could eliminate the position of mayor.